MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2016 SPORTS Perera ton sets up Lanka series win over Ireland MALAHIDE: Kusal Perera and Seekkuge they had been in their 76-run win in the first stand of 54 — both making their highest level. Prasanna, promoted to a pinch-hit- course for a total in excess of 400 but Prasanna both made career-best scores as ODI at Malahide on Thursday, were well- scores for Ireland and Sri Lanka captain ting role at number three, played his role Ireland pulled them back by taking four Sri Lanka beat Ireland by 136 runs in the placed at the half-way stage. Angelo Mathews had to bring himself to perfection to more than double his wickets for 13 runs in the last three overs, second one-day international at Malahide And when Suranga Lakmal and the back to break the partnership and win the career best in a superb display of hitting. although by then the damage had been on Saturday. Victory saw Sri Lanka enjoy recalled Farveez Maharoof removed match with five overs to spare. Sri Lanka, He was dismissed five runs short of a done. Barry McCarthy, a 23-year-old seam- their second heartening win in a matter of Ireland’s top three with just 41 on the put in on another excellent batting pitch, deserved century having faced just 46 er in only his second international, was days as they took the two-match series 2-0 board, the rest of the match proved a for- made the perfect start with Kusal Perera balls with nine sixes and five fours and he Ireland’s most impressive bowler, finishing and gave them a confidence boost ahead mality. John Anderson, an accountant and and Danuska Gunathilaka sharing an dominated the second wicket stand of 161 with two for 52. of their upcoming five-game ODI cam- the only amateur in the Ireland side, opening stand of 147. with Perera which took just 93 balls. Perera By contrast Boyd Rankin, in his first paign in England. showed promise for the future with 34 and reached his second ODI hundred from 105 home series for five years after appearing Put into bat, they amassed 377 for eight. Andy McBrine, batting at No 8, finished the Superb display balls with 10 fours and two sixes and for England, finished with one for 86 from Perera top-scored with an ODI best 135 and innings in some style with 79 from 64 balls, Gunathilaka was the first to go, in the added another 35 before he was caught at his 10 overs. Ireland will now look for an Prasanna made 95 — his highest score at including seven fours and two sixes. 27th over, for 63, just two short of his ODI mid-wicket off Middlesex’s Tim Murtagh. improved showing when they face this level. Ireland, in reply, were bowled out McBrine and Boyd Rankin (18 not out) best, but both Perera and Prasanna easily In all he faced 128 balls and finished with Pakistan in a two-match home ODI series for 241. Sri Lanka, again sent into bat as delayed the inevitable with a last wicket passed their previous highest scores at this 16 fours and two sixes. Sri Lanka were on in August. — AFP Cheika losing patience with misfiring Wallabies MELBOURNE: Coach Michael Cheika says to own that because we prepare that dur- he will forcefully get his message across to ing the week and I’ve got to explain it to his misfiring team after the Wallabies threw the lads more forcefully,” he told reporters away their chance of squaring the Test after Saturday’s loss. “I’ve got to own that as series against England this weekend. The a coach with those things. That’s the stuff Wallabies let themselves down with a mul- we set out and I’ve got to make sure that titude of handling errors, many in strong message is clear. attacking positions, as England triumphed “I know that we want to play a lot of 23-7 on the back of a monumental defen- rugby, but it doesn’t always convert into sive effort in the second Test to clinch their the scoreboard and that will happen some- first-ever series in Australia on Saturday. times, but it shouldn’t happen regularly.” While the Wallabies conceded 14 penal- The Wallabies were frustrated by England’s ties in losing 39-28 in the Brisbane series resilient defense with the Six Nations champions making a total of 215 tackles to Australia’s 81. Humbling defeat “You have to pay credit to England, they played very well in both games,” Cheika said. “They’ve played very smart, they’ve played in the right areas, they’ve played well in the ruck and spoiled a lot of good ball for us. That’s well done to them. “They’ve seen that we’re going to play a lot of footy and chosen the opposite way and their way has been victorious pretty clearly. “Even though we’ve had a lot more attack, we only got the one try this week. We have to take that, suck it up and use the scars later on.” What began with the Wallabies as clear LE MANS: Switzerland’s Neel Jani takes the Porsche 919 Hybrid over the finish line to win the 84th Le Mans 24-hours endurance race. — AFP favorites to beat the Eddie Jones-coached England after reaching last year’s World Cup final materialized into a humbling series defeat for the first time at home. Porsche win dramatic Le Mans Injuries to key men David Pocock and Kurtley Beale did not help, but the Wallabies were out-thought and out- as Toyota settles for heartache Coach Michael Cheika played by the Six Nations Grand Slam champions, who now have won eight con- LE MANS: Porsche snatched victory in one of Nakajima’s car suddenly began slowing with only Among the stunned crowd was Brad Pitt, part opener, this time it was their shoddy han- secutive Tests. the most dramatic finishes in Le Mans 24 Hour five minutes of the 24 hours to go. He had been of the usual colorful cast of professional drivers dling that let them down, losing possession “Our squad’s changed a fair bit. I think Race history after Toyota suffered an agonizing as much as 90 seconds ahead at one point, but and Hollywood royalty who turned out to see a staggering 13 times. The Wallabies there’s 10 or 11 different from the World power failure with just minutes left yesterday. suddenly it all went wrong and he began to rap- one of motor racing’s A-list events. Pitt flagged enjoyed 68 percent possession and 56 per- Cup squad, but that’s the opportunity for Neel Jani powered the Porsche 919 Hybrid over idly lose pace, allowing Jani to close fast. With the race off 24 hours earlier, when heavy down- cent field position, yet could only come up us to grow our depth and that’s what the line, to elation and tears of joy in their just over three minutes to go Nakajima came to a pours ensured a soaking start to the occasion with one try after scoring four tries in the we’re going to get out of this,” Cheika garage, after Kazuki Nakajima’s TS050 stuttered stop on the straight as Jani sped past to victory. and saw the first seven laps take place behind previous Test. said. “But the opportunities that we let go to a halt when looking nailed-on to win the The Toyota was ranked as declassified, a humiliat- the safety car as torrential rain lashed the track Cheika was fuming over the butter-fin- tonight just through errors are at this endurance race for the Japanese team for the ing culmination to a day-night of racing. and the 60 cars on the grid. gered Wallabies throwing away their point more at the forefront of my mind first time in three decades of trying. “I’m ready to cry,” Nakajima said over the The drenched crowd was kept on their toes chance of taking the three-Test series to a than the other things we may be getting Jani, Romain Dumas and Marc Lieb, drivers of radio as he labored home. “Heartbroken,” was by over 30 changes of lead during the night and decider in Sydney next Saturday. “I’ve got from this series.” — AFP the Porsche number two car, celebrated wildly in the simple tweet from the devastated Toyota several safety car appearances. By the closing front of a crowd that swelled to 263,500 for the team. Toyota’s number six car with Stephane stages it became a straight fight between 84th edition of the grueling showpiece, which Sarrazin at the wheel crossed the line in second Porsche and Toyota, with the two playing cat ‘Off day’ leaves Hamilton began on Saturday under driving rain and with an Audi third. “What a Le Mans race!” Audi and mouse for the lead. By the time the cars behind a safety car. In contrast, Toyota saw their tweeted, calling Toyota “winner of hearts.” “We crossed the line-under altogether more forgiv- seeking his lost rhythm Le Mans jinx strike at the worst possible time. know that Le Mans can be cruel. But what hap- ing weather-they had covered a similar distance The Toyota garage looked on aghast as pened to Toyota was incredible!” to a round trip from Le Mans to Moscow. — AFP BAKU: Triple Formula One world champion viously.